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Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

I finally did it.  This recipe has been on my invisible bucket list for a long time. 

A cheesecake ice cream with a blueberry swirl. 

Yum-o. 

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Ingredients

  • 1 C blueberries
  • 1 T lemon juice
  • 1 T corn starch
  • 2 T + 3/4 C sugar, divided
  • 6 oz. cream cheese
  • 1/2 C whipping cream
  • 1 C milk {whole is best, but any work}
  • 2 C half and half

Directions

First, you’ll want to prepare the blueberry swirl.  To do so, place 1 C blueberries (fresh or frozen) into a large, microwave-safe bowl.  Alternatively, you may use your stovetop to prepare the sauce.  Toss the blueberries in 1 T corn starch and 2 T sugar.

Add in 2 T water and 1 T lemon juice.  Then, microwave the berries at 30-second intervals until the sauce thickens.  Stir after each interval.  If making the berries on the stove top – heat until the berry sauce thickens, and then remove from the heat.  You’ll want to stir constantly.  Chill the berry sauce until ready to use. 

To prepare the ice cream base, add the cubed cream cheese (6oz) to a blender, along with 1 C milk. 

Puree until the cream cheese is smooth.  If you need more liquid to help during this process, just add the half and half. 

Add in the 3/4 C sugar, a splash of lemon juice {and half and half, if you have not already added a total of 2 C} and blend. 

Pour in the whipping cream and blend just once. 

Pour the mixture into the freezer bowl of your ice cream maker following your manufacturers directions. 

Churn the ice cream for 20 minutes, until the ice cream is mostly set. 

Carefully scoop half of the cheesecake ice cream mixture into a freezer-friendly quart-sized bowl. 

Pour the blueberry sauce over the ice cream, and swirl in using a knife. 

Top with the remaining ice cream.  If desired, use the knife to swirl the berry sauce throughout the ice cream. 

Store in the freezer until ready to serve. 

Serve as a stand alone ice cream, or, add additional blueberries and crushed graham crackers as a garnish. 

Enjoy!

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Garlic Crusted Chicken & Pepper Skillet

A basic set of ingredients comes together for a yummy dinner – all made on the stove top!

Garlic Crusted Chicken and Pepper Skillet

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1/4 – 1/3 C corn starch
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 egg
  • salt & pepper
  • 3 medium bell peppers, sliced into narrow strips
  • 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, quartered
  • Basil, oregano and parsley, to taste
  • 1/4 C mozzarella cheese

Directions

Begin by preparing an assembly line: diced chicken, 1 egg + 2 T water, lightly beaten, and finally, 1/3 C corn starch combined with 2 tsp. garlic powder and salt and pepper. 

Dip each chicken breast cube into a lightly scrambled egg and then toss into the corn starch mixture. 

Heat a skillet with 1 T olive oil over medium heat.  Add the chicken pieces and cook, about 5 minutes per side, until lightly browned and juices in the chicken pieces begin to run clear. 

Then, toss in the mushrooms.  Sauté until the liquid evaporates.

Next, add in the pepper strips, and sauté until crisp-tender.  Season with basil and oregano.  {This takes about 10-12 minutes}

Top with 1/4 C shredded mozzarella cheese.  Monterrey Jack cheese may also be used.  Garnish with parsley. 

Serve atop brown rice. 

Enjoy!

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Menu Plan–July 29

Thanks for all your lovely wishes for our anniversary yesterday!  We had a special day – starting off with Frog Prince’s whole wheat blueberry pancakes. 

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The weather was amazing, so we opted to go for a long walk at a local park, and then played cribbage together in the afternoon before taking in the first night of Olympic action parked in front of our TV.

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Our anniversary tradition is to re-create our wedding dinner and it’s a tradition I love.  We enjoyed a homemade version of the pasta dish served at our wedding, coupled with delicious garlic breadsticks.  This year, I added mushrooms & broccoli to the chicken dish, and it was superb. 

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We topped off the night with a re-created wedding cake!  Just the top tier though, my cake decorating skills are not superb. 

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{What you might not be able to see so well is the cake almost slipped off the plate while we were trying to capture this photo!!}

Do you have any food traditions for your anniversary or special events in your family?

In addition to our 5th anniversary eats, we also enjoyed {to see the recipe, click on a photo}:

This week, we are having a garage sale… and our garden is producing yummy veggies!  We even made our first batch of pickles this week.  Spaghetti sauce is not too far behind.  Meals this week will have lots of garden produce, and will also use our crockpot to make meals easy during the garage sale.

Sunday
Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes with fresh blueberries
Grilled Zucchini Bread Sandwiches, pickles
Leftover anniversary dinner!

Monday
Maple Apple Chicken Sausage with Raspberry Pancakes {new}
Zucchini & Carrot Black Bean Quesadillas
Spinach & Mushroom Calzones, green beans

Tuesday
Granola & blueberries
Leftovers
Summer Vegetables with Sausage & Potatoes {new}

Wednesday
Whole Wheat Applesauce Zucchini Bread
Leftover veggies wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla
Wild Rice Brats, Grilled tomatoes {new}

Thursday – Garage Sale
Granola & Blueberries
BLTs, green beans
Crockpot {Veggie-filled} Sloppy Joes, corn on the cob
Cinnamon Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Friday – Garage Sale
Berry Baked Oatmeal, yogurt
Leftover Sloppy Joes, Whole Wheat Buns, steamed veggies
Crockpot Ratatouille, Brown Rice

Saturday – Garage Sale
Fresh fruit and cottage cheese
Tacos {new} or taco salad
Pasta & Zucchini Salad

Menu Plan Monday is hosted at Organizing Junkie - stop by for hundreds of menus

Find more great menus at OrgJunkie’s Menu Plan Monday!

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Our 5th Anniversary!

5 years ago today, I saw you standing there.

At the Altar

My heart was overwhelmed.
My spirit rejoiced.

On this day, our lives became one.

For better.

For worse.

God knew we needed each other.

God knew you & I belonged together.

Today, my heart loves you more than it did then.

Each day, I am drawn to you.

Happy 5th Anniversary, My Love!

I love you.

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Friday Favorite Finds #119

Sorry for the delay in getting these yummy eats up!  Here are my finds – can’t wait to see yours. 

{All images are from the original recipe source, and linked through Pinterest}

Farmers Market Summer Pizza
{My friend Liz, keeps the good recipes coming!
We'll be using this idea with our grilled pizza.}

 

Blueberry Vanilla Butter
{Megan, being a blueberry lover herself, took my breath away with this goodie!
Can't wait to make it.}

 

Baked Caprese Rigatoni
{This one comes from Pinch of Yum, and wow -
my pasta weakness won't stand strong long!}

 

Crust-less Summer Zucchini Pie
{What a great idea Gina has to use the garden zucchini we've been harvesting!}

 

Baked Sweet Potato Chips
{My sister & I were just talking about this idea... now, we have to try Haley's chips!}

 

Lemon Brownies
{I stumbled upon Carole's blog from Rachels' FFF last week... so glad I did or I would have missed these lemon brownies. Yum.}

 

What did you find this week?

Please link up to a post containing your list of recipes to try -- do not link up individual recipes please, your links will be deleted.  Links that do not follow the guidelines will be deleted.  Be sure to leave a link back here to Finding Joy in My Kitchen.

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